The National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”) reports that approximately 20.2 million target shooting enthusiasts spend approximately $493 per person, or approximately $9.9 billion per year in total, on all aspects of target shooting, and inject approximately $23 billion into the national economy [http://www.nssf.org/PDF/research/TargetShootinginAmericaReport.pdf]. However, the NSSF also reports that target shooting participation falls off significantly when target ranges are located more than 30-minutes away. This is a particularly acute problem in rural areas where the populations are scattered outside of densely populated areas and away from the economic centers that generally have such target shooting facilities, thereby increasing travel time and costs dedicated to such recreational activities.
To counteract these effects, target shooting equipment is available in sporting goods stores that allow enthusiasts to attempt simulation of the shooting range experience. However, expense to the individual enthusiast becomes a concern, especially considering individuals rarely purchase equipment and materials in-bulk quantities at discounted rates as is often available to commercial shooting range facilities.
One means of addressing expense is through the adoption of “plinking” in which nonstandard targets are utilized as means for simulating or replicating shooting range targets. Usually, the “target” is an object made from metal, wood, glass, plastic, paper, or other similar material, and is often an object that has been previously damaged, reached a state of obsolescence, or is repurposed for an unintended use. However, certain types of “flat” objects fail to fully replicate the sound and experience one achieves on a range.
Accordingly, there is a need for easily-assembled repurposed objects and materials that may be utilized as “plinking” targets to simulate shooting range targets and conditions that is also cost effective and provides additional modes of feedback to enhance the excitement and fun of target shooting that might not otherwise be attained under similar circumstances.